PFAS & Emerging Contaminants
PFAS Developments: CERCLA Designations Stay Intact for Now, Rollbacks Under SDWA
The regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continues to evolve under the Trump administration, with the EPA making three important announcements last month. The agency intends to keep the existing hazardous substance designations under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) for PFOA and PFOS, but is seeking to modify PFAS regulations…
PFAS Legal and Regulatory Updates
The regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has continued to evolve at the federal and state levels in recent months under the Trump administration. EPA announced in April 2025 a bundle of planned actions to combat PFAS contamination, although the agency’s proposed actions since that announcement would actually roll back some Biden-era PFAS regulations…
NYSDEC Proposes Updates to Commissioner’s Policy 51 – Soil Cleanup Guidance
For the first time in over a decade, NYSDEC proposes to update Commissioner’s Policy 51 (CP-51), which sets forth the soil cleanup levels for the NYSDEC Division of Environmental Remediation’s remedial programs, including the Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Remedial Program (State Superfund Program), Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP), Environmental Restoration Program…
PFAS Environmental Regulatory Developments (So Far) in 2024
2024 has already been a banner year for the regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the federal level; unsurprisingly, these efforts are eliciting legal challenges from regulated entities. CERCLA On April 19, 2024, the EPA issued a final rule under Section 102(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The…
EPA Broadens Efforts to Address PFAS Contamination in Water Bodies
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s efforts to address contamination by per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continue to rapidly evolve. Although federal efforts were initially focused on PFAS in drinking water, EPA has recently begun to address PFAS in a wider variety of sources, including wastewater and stormwater. In April of this year, EPA brought its…
Recent Developments in PFAS Regulation
The regulation of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continues to rapidly evolve at the New York State and federal levels. As further detailed in SPR’s prior blog post on this issue, PFAS are a family of chemical compounds with unique properties allowing them to withstand extreme temperatures, resist degradation, stains, and grease, and adopt nonstick…